Slaying is Campbell first in 2 years

November 30, 2012

CAMPBELL - A man shot to death Wednesday evening is the city's first homicide since August 2010.

James Hills, 47, was killed after being shot in the Jackson Street parking lot of the Kirwan Homes Public Housing Project about 8:15 p.m.

Detective Sgt. John Rusnak said Hills was shot in the parking lot and yet managed to get to another apartment and go inside, which was where police found him.

He had been shot multiple times, Rusnak said. Police recovered three shell casings from the crime scene.

Hills was able to give officers a description of the person who shot him before he died, but the description is so vague it is almost useless, Rusnak said.

The Mahoning County Coroner's Office said Hills died from gunshot wounds to the back and stomach.

Rusnak said police received 911 calls for shots fired in the area and also from the apartment where Hills was found by police.

He said there is no known motive and no suspects early in the investigation. He also said Hills does not have any history with the Campbell Police Department.

However, records from Mahoning County Common Pleas Court show that Hills pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in 1992, tampering with evidence and a violent offender specification and was sentenced to at least four years in prison.

According to Tribune archives, the last murder here was June 20, 2010, in the Kirwan Homes housing projects. Tyrell Ravnell, 21, was charged with aggravated murder in the shooting death of Christian Blackshear.